Game On, America. Friendly Fire Announces U.S. Expansion

January 8, 2026 // FranchisePR.com // – Friendly Fire, a premier gaming café franchise and esports hub born and based in Croatia, has announced plans to expand into the United States—marking a defining moment in the company’s growth and a major acceleration of its global vision.

The planned expansion represents the next chapter in Friendly Fire’s evolution, bringing its social gaming café experience to one of the world’s largest and most influential gaming and esports markets. By entering the United States, Friendly Fire aims to replicate the formula that has fueled its European success while adapting to local gaming cultures and communities.

The U.S. expansion is expected to initially launch in Florida and Texas—two of America’s largest and fastest-growing gaming markets—with plans to open multiple locations across major metropolitan areas in both states over the next few years.

“This announcement marks a defining moment for Friendly Fire. Our expansion into the U.S. reflects both the strength of our franchise model and our commitment to building socially engaging spaces for gamers around the world,” said founder and CEO David Kosir. “We are all social beings. People want to play together. Playing games alone at home feels empty. Social gaming is the core of Friendly Fire, and we have proven many times over that the demand for this concept is huge. The market is wide open and we’re here to fill it.”

Founded in 2017 in Zagreb, Croatia, Friendly Fire began as a visionary project by Kosir and a group of gaming enthusiasts aiming to create more than just a place to play. Their goal was to build a modern, social environment where gamers could gather, connect, and compete. Since launching its franchise model in 2022, Friendly Fire has rapidly expanded to 20 cafes across Europe—combining cutting-edge gaming equipment, immersive social spaces, and a dynamic calendar of tournaments and esports events—solidifying its position as a cornerstone of the continent’s gaming and esports scene.

Underscoring the brand’s strong momentum and international appeal, Friendly Fire currently has more than 200 additional locations in various stages of development across the United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain. Among the brand’s franchisees is one of Europe’s largest Domino’s Pizza operators.

Esports legend and global gaming icon Luka “Perkz” Perkovic, who recently joined Friendly Fire’s ownership group, added, “What makes Friendly Fire work is that it brings gaming back into the physical world. You’re not alone at home. You’re sitting next to friends, talking, reacting, and playing together. Expanding into the U.S. is an exciting opportunity to bring that same energy to a new audience.”

Including a franchise fee of $49,500, the total investment to open a 1,500 square-foot Friendly Fire gaming café with approximately 50 seats/gaming stations ranges from $218,400 to $390,685.

“Friendly Fire was built with expansion in mind, and now we’re excited to partner with franchise owners who believe in our mission and our model,” added Kosir. “We see tremendous opportunity across the U.S. and are actively looking for partners who want to grow alongside us and help bring the Friendly Fire experience to new communities.”

For more information about Friendly Fire, visit www.friendlyfireesports.com.

SOURCE Friendly Fire

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